Insert for boots and shoes



May 2, 1939. H. socHoR INSERT FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed Jul'y 6, 1937 Patented May 2, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application July 6, 1937, Serial No. 152,118 In Switzerland July 11, 1936 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an insert for boots and shoes, having a resilient support for the foot arch.

It has already been proposed to provide foot 5 arch supports at the rear end with a space or cavity in which the heel bone iinds a bed. The known supports have the advantage that they resiliently support the heel portion of the tread. The pressure bearing on the foot is uniformly distributed over a larger surface. The tread position of the heel in the boot or shoe itself is maintained low. To this end the cavity is bevelled on. in the inward direction.

It is the primary object of the present inventionto provide an improvement in this construction of foot arch support, and according thereto, Within the opening provided for the reception of the heel bone is provided an exchangeable supporting body, which exerts a pressure on the forward end of the heel bone and thus also raises the ankle bone upwardly. The pointed portion of the heel bone rests on the inner sole of the boot or shoe so that the foot retains its natural position. The pressure on the ankle bone and its adjacent parts can also be varied as required by exchanging the supporting body.

In the accompanying drawing a constructional example according to the invention is diagrammatically shown:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of an insert formed according to the present invention; and

Figs. 2 to 4 are sections on the lines II-II, III-III and IV-IV of Figure 1.

The boot or shoe insert shown comprises a foot arch support, made of leather, artificial leather, wood or other suitable material. It is inserted between layers of leather 2, 3. The support has outlying portions 4, 5 and a free space 1 in which lies the exchangeable heel supporting member 8. This space 'l leaves sufcient room for the pointed portion I2 of the heel bone 9 of the foot to be supported on the inner sole 6. The outlying portions 4, 5 which together form a cradle for the heel, are bevelled oi in the inward direction.

The edges of the support may be bevelled on the under side (Fig. 3) so that the outlying portions of the foot in proximity to the bones obtaino a soft yielding support. The supporting member 8, which is disposed between the resilient outlying portions 4, 5 of the insert, bears on the forward end part of the heel bone 9. The pressure of the supporting member 8 comes heavily on the ankle bone I0, wherein the bony structure of the foot receives good support. The supporting member 8 can, if desired, be strengthened or weakened; in either case it will give at all times the desired pressure and support for the foot.

The supporting member 8 may be made of rubber, felt, cork, leather or other suitable material.

The boot or shoe insert may be provided at its front portion with a known device for the under support of the meta-tarsal bones. Also moulded members may be placed between the leather layers 2, 3 in order to impart additional support to the foot at any desired position.

What I claim is:

An insert for boots and shoes comprising a support underlying the foot and composed of an outer and inner layer, a resilient prop or pad located between the outer and inner layers and extending forwardly from the lowermost point of the heel-bone, said pad being of a length sufcient only to underlie the forward portion of the heelbone which slants upwardly from the lowest point of the heel-bone, said prop or pad having a wedge-shaped section with the sharp edge of the wedge beneath the lowermost point of the heel-bone for purposes described.

HANS SOCI-IOR. 

